1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to an improved method and system for merchandise checkouts having a high level of security in processing purchased merchandise items that enables a self-service operation to occur and in particular to a system for speeding up customer checkouts in high volume retail establishments. Still more particularly the present invention relates to an improved method which allows a purchaser to bag and scan their own merchandise.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large retail stores frequently have many checkout lanes in order to be able to handle higher customer throughput at peak periods. Such lanes tend to be crowded together as much as possible in an attempt to minimize the square footage required for the checkout function. Additionally, many of these lanes remain idle during a considerable portion of any given business day and waste the square footage allocated to them.
A modern retail or grocery store checkout lane typically includes a cash register that is used to check out merchandise items bearing bar code labels. A cashier removes items from a movable conveyor belt one at a time, drags them across the laser beam of a fixed scanner (e.g., a "slot" scanner built into a horizontal counter), and places them on a shopping carrier, such as a cart. The fixed scanner is linked with a processor, e.g., a CPU built into the cash register, that translates the bar code symbol on a package into a cash register entry including the price of the scanned item. Downstream of the cash register on the conveyor belt is a sacking station; one or more baggers removes previously scanned items from the conveyor belt and places items in paper or plastic sacks. When all items have been scanned or otherwise checked, the cash register tallies the prices of the items, factors in any discounts (e.g., coupon discounts) or other adjustments (e.g., sales taxes on some items), displays the total to be paid by the customer, and prints a receipt. While the purchases are being "rung up," the customer may write a check to pay for the purchases or deliver a credit card to the cashier.
A problem that arises with the above-described system is the fact that typically only one person at a time empties a shopping cart and scans the items contained therein thereby limiting the efficiency of the process. It is conceivable that two or more persons could theoretically share a fixed scanner, but this could easily create physical coordination problems involving each person getting in the other person's way. Because of the current system of checking out merchandise, long customer lines occur resulting in wasted time for the consumer and valuable retail space that could be used for more merchandise is lost in supporting multiple checkout lanes and loss of store revenue in supporting the store staff to handle the operations.
Additionally, shoplifting is a major problem for retail stores, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars each year. The most common type of shoplifting is that in which the shoplifter removes the shoplifted item from a store by wearing the item or by hiding the item on their person or in their bags. One well-known system developed to reduce this type of shoplifting involves attaching a security tag to the items in the store. The security tag contains a circuit or other means that interacts with a detection system located near the exit of the store. The detection system sounds an alarm if an item passes therethrough with a security tag that has not been deactivated. This type of security tag is typically deactivated or removed by a cashier when the item is purchased. The tag is usually deactivated by being passed over an electromagnetic apparatus.
However, a problem arises with this type of security system in that if a store cashier is acting in concert with the shoplifter, the cashier may deactivate or remove the security tags without accepting payment for the items. Typically, the shoplifter will bring a number of purchases to the cashier, who will ring up less than all of the purchases, often discounting the prices on the purchased items. The cashier will then place the remaining unpurchased items in the shoplifter's bags. Prior to placing the items in the bags, the cashier will deactivate the security tags on the stolen items so that the security detection apparatus near the exit of the store will not detect them. Therefore, if a cashier is acting in concert with a shoplifter, it is possible to steal a very large number of items with relative ease.
In view of the above, it should be apparent that a method which allows merchandise checkouts to have a high level of security in processing purchased merchandise items and for speeding up customer checkouts in high volume retail establishments would be highly desirable.